Of Juniper and Holly
by The Creatress
Summary: Ginny, while reading a book series that reminds her of her past with a dark haired and blue eyed genius, ponders on the relationship between two of the characters...


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl. If I did, CoS!TG and FirstBook!AH would double date.

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Author's Note:

It begged to be written and I just couldn't refuse the voices (those of Tommy and Arty, probably…) who kept ordering me to write it. (shrugs)

Luv

Creatress

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Of Juniper and Holly

Ginny didn't care much for Artemis Fowl II. She didn't care for his character, actually, but the rest of the books were interesting enough. She'd approached the whole thing with skepticism when Hermione had first recommended the series for her summer reading.

Even now, as she lay in bed reading on a lazy late Sunday evening, she still didn't know _why_ she kept reading. She was nearing the middle of the fifth installment – the Lost Colony – and she was still skeptical about whether she liked it or not. Maybe because most of the series is supposed to be seen from the view of the "bad guy?" That made the book interesting, in a different way.

Ginny shifted on her bed. She lay down on the side of the bed, laying far enough left that she felt the edge of the bed against her forearm. Sleeping with something hard and precious on the right of the bed, had done this to her. She'd always fallen asleep talking to Tom; she'd never shut her diary and put it away on the nightstand. She never slept with anything else in her bed, but after a long year of falling asleep with her diary on the right side of her bed next to her… She didn't feel comfortable in the middle.

Ginny didn't care for the main character. Artemis Fowl – pale, black-haired, blue-eyed criminal genius who thought attempting world domination was _melodramatic_. He was an intelligent young man who was known by many pseudonyms, all of which had clever little word plays that should help you figure out his true identity. Ginny didn't care much for him.

Artemis seemed almost… Benign. Compared to all the other overlords of every other book or film out there. Especially those of reality. Hermione didn't even classify him as a Bad Guy anymore. But Ginny always felt that there was a sense of danger about him. A cool aloofness and selfishness – when it came down to it, if he had to choose between himself and one of his so-called loved ones, he'd let them go without a moment's hesitation. She did not care much for him. He could burn in hell for all she cared. Which she didn't.

Who Ginny cared about was Holly. Holly – strong, smart, beautiful and sometimes, downright bitchy. But she's really a good person. She can be gentle, understanding and forgiving. Holly, with her fiery personality, wine-red hair, and _suicidal tendencies_. As much as Ginny liked the character, she'd decided early that Holly was either A) stupid or B) trying to get herself killed. Option A was highly unlikely. So it must be B. Why else would Holly go back to Artemis time and time again?

"_You kidnapped me, but let's work together now. You lied to me so many times, but I can accept you for who you are. You messed with my head, made me believe I did horrible things and dragged me through hell, but… I trust you. You're one of my best friends."_

Ginny thought she must have blinked when Artemis and Holly became so close. When did it happen? _How_ did it happen? How do you go from Captor/Prisoner, from Kidnapper/Victim to Best Friends? Ginny knew how it could happen the other way – oh, it was quite easy to go from being someone's best friend to the same person's victim. But quite hard going the other way. Quite hard. _Impossible_.

So why bother reading on? Ginny asked herself. It _is_ impossible. Artemis will betray Holly again, and they can't stay friends. They can't. Not with their past. _So why bother reading on?_

On the pages before her, Artemis and Holly chose the moment that question settled to engage in some light, teasing banter.

_Prove me wrong._

Maybe. Maybe it will work out between them. Artemis' mother couldn't raise him – she's been struck mentally ill by her husband's disappearance years before. But Artemis found a way to cure his mother and bring his father home. They were both safe and alive and free to lavish love on their only son. Maybe they could stop Artemis from turning into… Into what? Into who?

Right now, Artemis, Holly and their newly acquired demon friends were fighting a bunch of other hypnotized demons that were out for their blood. Artemis and Holly were winning – the demons were starting to fall. But, oh no, the leader of the demons was currently making his way toward Holly with his sword raised.

It'll be alright. Holly couldn't die. It was unimaginable. But if she did, Ginny wondered how Artemis would react. Ginny read on with wide eyes.

The evil demon plunged his sword into Holly's chest, and she fell. Her magic couldn't help her – the wound was fatal. Pain and fear coursed through the redhead. Both of them. Horror and sickness swept over Ginny as Holly drew closer and closer to her death. Ginny's knuckles were turning as white as Holly's face – the book shook in her grasp. Through all the thoughts that swirled in her head, one whispered… _If Holly dies, I wonder how Artemis will react. _

_Prove me wrong._

With her final breath, Holly uttered Artemis' name.

Artemis, hearing her, glanced towards Holly briefly, and left his friend to death. And Holly died. With Artemis' name on her lips, she died.

Ginny snapped the book shut. She quickly put it down on her nightstand. After she turned out the dim lights in the room, she gulped and sat silently for a second. She would not read another word – it was done. She'd won her little debate – it was impossible. A kidnapper and a victim couldn't become friends. Never mind their relationship before kidnapping. It was impossible.

Ginny lay down, feeling an odd emptiness at the bottom of her chest. She told herself to forget about it. Closing her eyes, she lightly ran her fingers over the empty space on the right side of her bed where her diary used to be.

Holly wasn't real. Artemis wasn't real.

It was only a book.

Fin

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A/N

Totally random. One of those things that attack you in the middle of the night, and you can't sleep until you get it down. … It's now 2.36 AM.

REVIEW!

Luv

Creatress


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